Join Us in Expanding Filming in the Northland!

One LA producer put it best:

“I wish every area had something like The Upper Midwest Film Office (UMFO); it would make my life as a filmmaker easier.”  

At UMFO,  we are unique because we’re here to help every step of the way. We’re open to all projects and ready to collaborate at any stage.

We're the only nonprofit dedicated to boosting our regional economy through a vibrant film, TV, and commercial production industry. UMFO offers support to production companies, from managing incentives to tackling production hurdles and connecting with local talent and resources. With strong community and government ties, we’re distinctly positioned to fuel success in the region and to make a lasting economic impact while connecting with real people in our communities. 

The content creation industry, which includes movies, TV shows, and commercials, spends over $19 Billion every year.  Back in the 1990s, Minnesota was a hot spot for filmmaking, producing popular movies like The Mighty Ducks and Grumpy Old Men. However, other states introduced attractive financial incentives for filmmakers, and many productions started heading elsewhere. Talented crew and students began moving to locations like Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta in order to find work.  

The Upper Midwest Film Office (UMFO) is working to change that narrative. With the introduction of a new competitive statewide film incentive program AND additional regional rebates in Northern Minnesota, we aim to capture a share of this economic opportunity by revitalizing the local economy through film, TV, and commercial production.

The  film industry is expanding rapidly, and at UMFO, we're committed to meeting its demands—but we can’t do it alone. As a nonprofit, we rely on the support of people like you. Your contribution allows us to grow our outreach, workforce training workshops, and community connections, all which contributes to creating a robust film ecosystem in the Northland where anyone with a desire to work in film has the opportunity to do so. 

Would you like to be part of this exciting industry? By supporting the Upper Midwest Film Office you are helping to create a thriving creative industry that is accessible to all of us in the Northland! Will you join us by making a donation?

    Thanks to your support and the generosity of our community, we                   imagine Northern MN to be a place where residents can live, work, and play in a thriving film production (content manufacturing) industry.